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“You are welcome, baby girl.” Mom made kissing noises at my sister, and I tried not to frown at them. They’d always been close. Even though I would just as soon be chummy with a rattlesnake than with my mom, I couldn’t deny the taste of bile-like jealousy in my mouth. She and Sienna had an exclusive mutual-admiration club. I’d always been okay with it, but it still wasn’t fun to be around.
“Excuse me.” I went over to hand lights to Bob. “How are you doing up there?”
“I’m fine.” He grinned in my direction, and I felt a knot loosen inside me. I grinned back.
He paused for a beat. “Are you going to hand those to me or not?”
“Gah, of course!” I handed him the twinkle lights, cursing myself for staring.
“Everything okay?” Bob jerked his chin toward my sister and mom. “What’re those two up to?”
“My mother’s probably going to poison the caterers later and publicly tarnish their reputation, but other than that, they’re just admiring their handiwork. Oh, and your butt. My mother has you up there for a reason.” I shuddered.
He laughed as he carefully placed the lights. “I figured she could’ve had Pryce up here or any of her other minions. It’s all right—I’d rather keep busy.”
I groaned. “Sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. But I’m still fuming about that match. I might have to challenge your dad to a rematch.”
“Noooo. Please? You don’t want to go there.”
Bob shook his head. “Frank deserves a win. It’s been thirty years, Maddy! That’s not right.”
“Frank’s an adult. He keeps coming back for more.” I sighed, knowing my justification was weak. “And it’s not just that.”
He peered down at me. “Okay?”
“It’s that… He said…” I straightened my shoulders. “He said he approves of you. It’s important to me. I’m sure that sounds crazy, but it matters.” I felt as though I might be wandering into dangerous territory—meaning territory in which I could be mortally wounded by humiliation—but I held my head high. “Okay?”
Bob frowned, but he nodded. “Okay, Maddy. Okay.”
The knot inside me loosened a little more, and I wondered what exactly would happen if it all came undone.
“Outfit check time!” My mother sailed into my room without knocking.
“Mother!” I scrambled to pull my dress up. “I’m half naked!”
“I was hoping Bob would be in here half naked.” She looked around, vaguely disappointed. “But alas, I’ll have to barge in another time.”
“Mother.”
“Stop pretending to be such a prude. The jig is up. Now let me see that dress.” She finished zipping me and took a step back.
I couldn’t read the expression on her immobile face. “Well?”
“I’m arching my eyebrows.”
I blinked at her. “They haven’t budged.”
She waved my words away. “Then I am arching them in theory, Madison.” She looked me up and down again.
“You’re going to need to use your words, Mother. Your frozen face isn’t telling me too much these days.”
She pointed at me. “That dress is very unlike you.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” I looked down at the floor-length crimson gown I’d chosen. It crisscrossed in the front and had cutouts on the side, so my creamy skin peeked through. I’d bought the dress two years ago for a New Year’s Eve party I’d never attended. It was expensive and sexy, and I’d packed it at the last second after Bob had accepted my invitation.
“It’s a good thing.” My mother decisively nodded once. “Your sister will hate it, though.”
